The Ministry of Education and Sports has suspended all educational trips in schools across Uganda pending comprehensive investigations into recent incidents involving school trips.
The suspension was announced by the Acting Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Dr. John Chrysostom Muyingo, following a fatal road crash in Kapchorwa District that claimed the lives of 21 people and left 70 others injured.
According to Ministry spokesperson Dr. Denis Mugimba, the Ministry is holding intersectoral meetings with the Ministries of Internal Affairs and Works and Transport to develop a comprehensive response aimed at reducing and preventing similar incidents in the future.
“Hon. Dr. John Chrysostom Muyingo, as the Acting Minister of Education and Sports, has suspended all school educational trips in Uganda pending comprehensive investigations,” Dr. Mugimba said.
“As the Ministry of Education and Sports, we are in an intersectoral meeting with the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Works and Transport to come up with a comprehensive response that will see a reduction and prevention of such incidents going forward,” he added.
The suspension follows a tragic accident in Kapchorwa District on Thursday evening, July 16, 2026, in which a bus belonging to King David Junior School overturned while returning from a tour of Sipi Falls.
The accident occurred at around 7:40 p.m. at Chekwatit Village, Kimawa Parish, Kawowo Sub-county.
The Isuzu bus, registration number UA 108BQ, reportedly lost control after striking a large stone by the roadside before overturning.
Police said the crash killed one adult male and 20 juveniles, comprising 14 boys and six girls. The bodies were taken to Kapchorwa Mortuary.
A further 70 people, including three adults and 67 juveniles, sustained injuries and were rushed to Kaserem Health Centre IV, Kapchorwa General Hospital and Mbale Regional Referral Hospital for treatment.
The identities of the deceased and injured victims had not been fully established by the time of the report, although police had listed several names among the deceased.
The scene was visited by the Deputy Regional Police Commander for Sipi, SSP Waibi Philbert, the District Criminal Investigations Officer, officers from the Kapchorwa District Criminal Investigations Department, the Kween District Traffic Officer and a team from Kapchorwa Traffic Police.
The vehicle remained at the scene pending towing to Kaserem Police Station as investigations into the exact cause of the crash continued.
Police have opened inquiries into the incident.
